The Dream of the Red Chamber (Selection)

by Cao Xueqin

  Dowager lady Chia, however, remonstrated from her seat in the bottom of the boat. "This isn't a joke," she cried, "we're not on the river, it's true, but there are some very deep places about, so be quick and come in. Do it for my sake."

  "What's there to be afraid of?" lady Feng laughed. "Compose your mind, worthy ancestor."

  Saying this, the boat was pushed off with one shove. When it reached the middle of the lake, lady Feng became nervous, for the craft was small and the occupants many, and hastily handing the pole to a boatwoman, she squatted down at last.

  Ying Ch'un, her sisters, their cousins, as well as Pao-yü subsequently got on board the second boat, and followed in their track; while the rest of the company, consisting of old nurses and a bevy of waiting-maids, kept pace with them along the bank of the stream.

  "All these broken lotus leaves are dreadful!" Pao-yü shouted. "Why don't you yet tell the servants to pull them off?"

  "When was this garden left quiet during all the days of this year?" Pao-ch'ai smiled. "Why, people have come, day after day, to visit it, so was there ever any time to tell the servants to come and clean it?"

  "I have the greatest abhorrence," Lin Tai-yü chimed in, "for Li I's poetical works, but there's only this line in them which I like:

  "'Leave the dry lotus leaves so as to hear the patter of the rain.'

  "and here you people deliberately mean again not to leave the dry lotus stay where they are."

  "This is indeed a fine line!" Pao-yü exclaimed. "We mustn't hereafter let them pull them away!"

  While this conversation continued, they reached the shoaly inlet under the flower-laden beech. They felt a coolness from the shady overgrowth penetrate their very bones. The decaying vegetation and the withered aquatic chestnut plants on the sand-bank enhanced, to a greater degree, the beauty of the autumn scenery.

  Dowager lady Chia at this point observed some spotless rooms on the bank, so spick and so span. "Are not these Miss Hsüeh's quarters," she asked. "Eh?"

  "Yes, they are!" everybody answered.

  Old lady Chia promptly bade them go alongside, and wending their way up the marble steps, which seemed to lead to the clouds, they in a body entered the Heng Wu court. Here they felt a peculiar perfume come wafting into their nostrils, for the colder the season got the greener grew that strange vegetation, and those fairy-like creepers. The various plants were laden with seeds, which closely resembled red coral beans, as they drooped in lovely clusters.

  The house, as soon as they put their foot into it, presented the aspect of a snow cave. There was a total absence of every object of ornament. On the table figured merely an earthenware vase, in which were placed several chrysanthemums. A few books and teacups were also conspicuous, but no further knicknacks. On the bed was suspended a green gauze curtain, and of equally extreme plainness were the coverlets and mattresses belonging to it.

  "This child," dowager lady Chia sighed, "is too simple! If you've got nothing to lay about, why not ask your aunt for a few articles? I would never raise any objection. I never thought about them. Your things, of course, have been left at home, and have not been brought over."

  So saying, she told Yuan Yang to go and fetch several bric-a-brac. She next went on to call lady Feng to task.

  "She herself wouldn't have them," (lady Feng) rejoined. "We really sent over a few, but she refused every one of them and returned them."

  "In her home also," smiled Mrs. Hsüeh, "she does not go in very much for such sort of things."

  Old lady Chia nodded her head. "It will never do!" she added. "It does, it's true, save trouble; but were some relative to come on a visit, she'll find things in an impossible way. In the second place, such simplicity in the apartments of young ladies of tender age is quite unpropitious! Why, if you young people go on in this way, we old fogies should go further and live in stables! You've all heard what is said in those books and plays about the dreadful luxury, with which young ladies' quarters are got up. And though these girls of ours could not presume to place themselves on the same footing as those young ladies, they shouldn't nevertheless exceed too much the bounds of what constitutes the right thing. If they have any objects ready at hand, why shouldn't they lay them out? And if they have any strong predilection for simplicity, a few things less will do quite as well. I've always had the greatest knack for titifying a room, but being an old woman now I haven't the ease and inclination to attend to such things! These girls are, however, learning how to do things very nicely. I was afraid that there would be an appearance of vulgarity in what they did, and that, even had they anything worth having, they'd so place them about as to spoil them; but from what I can see there's nothing vulgar about them. But let me now put things right for you, and I'll wager that everything will look grand as well as plain. I've got a couple of my own knicknacks, which I've managed to keep to this day, by not allowing Pao-yü to get a glimpse of them; for had he ever seen them, they too would have long ago disappeared!" Continuing, she called Yüan Yang. "Fetch that marble pot with scenery on it," she said to her; "that gauze screen, and that tripod of transparent stone with black streaks, which you'll find in there, and lay out all three on this table. They'll be ample! Bring likewise those ink pictures and white silk curtains, and change these curtains."

  Yüan Yang expressed her obedience. "All these articles have been put away in the eastern loft," she smiled. "In what boxes they've been put, I couldn't tell; I must therefore go and find them quietly and if I bring them over to-morrow, it will be time enough."

  "To-morrow or the day after will do very well; but don't forget, that's all," dowager lady Chia urged.

  While conversing, they sat for a while. Presently, they left the rooms and repaired straightway into the Cho Chin hall. Wen Kuan and the other girls came up and paid their obeisance. They next inquired what songs they were to practise.

  "You'd better choose a few pieces to rehearse out of those you know best," old lady Chia rejoined.

  Wen Kuan and her companions then withdrew and betook themselves to the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion. But we will leave them there without further allusion to them.

  During this while, lady Feng had already, with the help of servants, got everything in perfect order. On the left and right of the side of honour were placed two divans. These divans were completely covered with embroidered covers and fine variegated mats. In front of each divan stood two lacquer teapoys, inlaid, some with designs of crab-apple flowers; others of plum blossom, some of lotus leaves, others of sun-flowers. Some of these teapoys were square, others round. Their shapes were all different. On each was placed a set consisting of a stove and a bottle, also a box with partitions. The two divans and four teapoys, in the place of honour, were used by dowager lady Chia and Mrs. Hsüeh. The chair and two teapoys in the next best place, by Madame Wang. The rest of the inmates had, all alike, a chair and a teapoy. On the east side sat old goody Liu. Below old goody Liu came Madame Wang. On the west was seated Shih Hsiang-yün. The second place was occupied by Pao-ch'ai; the third by Tai-yü; the fourth by Ying Ch'un. T'an Ch'un and Hsi Ch'un filled the lower seats, in their proper order; Pao-yü sat in the last place. The two teapoys assigned to Li Wan and lady Feng stood within the third line of railings, and beyond the second row of gauze frames. The pattern of the partition-boxes corresponded likewise with the pattern on the teapoys. Each inmate had a black decanter, with silver, inlaid in foreign designs; as well as an ornamented, enamelled cup.

  After they had all occupied the seats assigned to them, dowager lady Chia took the initiative and smilingly suggested: "Let's begin by drinking a couple of cups of wine. But we should also have a game of forfeits to-day, we'll have plenty of fun then."

  "You, venerable senior, must certainly have a good wine order to impose," Mrs. Hsüeh laughingly observed, "but how could we ever comply with it? But if your aim be to intoxicate us, why, we'll all straightway drink one or two cups more than is good for us and finish!"

  "Here's Mrs. Hsüeh beginni
ng to be modest again to-day!" old lady Chia smiled. "But I expect it's because she looks down upon me as being an old hag!"

  "It isn't modesty!" Mrs. Hsüeh replied smiling. "It's all a dread lest I shouldn't be able to observe the order and thus incur ridicule."

  "If you don't give the right answer," Madame Wang promptly interposed with a smile, "you'll only have to drink a cup or two more of wine, and should we get drunk, we can go to sleep; and who'll, pray laugh at us?"

  Mrs. Hsüeh nodded her head. "I'll agree to the order," she laughed, "but, dear senior, you must, after all, do the right thing and have a cup of wine to start it."

  "This is quite natural!" old lady Chia answered laughingly; and with these words, she forthwith emptied a cup.

  Lady Feng with hurried steps advanced to the centre of the room. "If we are to play at forfeits," she smilingly proposed, "we'd better invite sister Yüan Yang to come and join us."

  The whole company was perfectly aware that if dowager lady Chia had to give out the rule of forfeits, Yüan Yang would necessarily have to suggest it, so the moment they heard the proposal they, with common consent, approved it as excellent. Lady Feng therefore there and then dragged Yüan Yang over.

  "As you're to take a part in the game of forfeits," Madame Wang smilingly observed, "there's no reason why you should stand up." And turning her head round, "Bring over," she bade a young waiting-maid, "a chair and place it at your Mistress Secunda's table."

  Yüan Yang, half refusing and half assenting, expressed her thanks, and took the seat. After partaking also of a cup of wine, "Drinking rules," she smiled, "resemble very much martial law; so irrespective of high or low, I alone will preside. Any one therefore who disobeys my words will have to suffer a penalty."

  "Of course, it should be so!" Madame Wang and the others laughed, "so be quick and give out the rule!"

  But before Yüan Yang had as yet opened her lips to speak, old goody Liu left the table, and waving her hand: "Don't," she said, "make fun of people in this way, for I'll go home."

  "This will never do!" One and all smilingly protested.

  Yüan Yang shouted to the young waiting-maids to drag her back to her table; and the maids, while also indulging in laughter, actually pulled her and compelled her to rejoin the banquet.

  "Spare me!" old goody Liu kept on crying, "spare me!"

  "Any one who says one word more," Yüan Yang exclaimed, "will be fined a whole decanter full."

  Old goody Liu then at length observed silence.

  "I'll now give out the set of dominoes." Yüan Yang proceeded. "I'll begin from our venerable mistress and follow down in proper order until I come to old goody Liu, when I shall stop. So as to illustrate what I meant just now by giving out a set, I'll take these three dominoes and place them apart; you have to begin by saying something on the first, next, to allude to the second, and, after finishing with all three, to take the name of the whole set and match it with a line, no matter whether it be from some stanza or roundelay, song or idyl, set phrases or proverbs. But they must rhyme. And any one making a mistake will be mulcted in one cup."

  "This rule is splendid; begin at once!" they all exclaimed.

  "I've got a set," Yüan Yang pursued; "on the left, is the piece 'heaven,' (twelve dots)."

  "Above head stretches the blue heaven,"

  dowager lady Chia said.

  "Good!" shouted every one.

  "In the centre is a five and six," Yüan Yang resumed.

  The fragrance of the plum blossom pierces the bones on the bridge "Six,"

  old lady Chia added.

  "There now remains," Yüan Yang explained, "one piece, the six and one."

  "From among the fleecy clouds issues the wheel-like russet sun."

  dowager lady Chia continued.

  "The whole combined," Yuan Yang observed "forms 'the devil with dishevelled hair.'"

  "This devil clasps the leg of the 'Chung Pa' devil,"

  old lady Chia observed.

  At the conclusion of her recitation, they all burst out laughing. "Capital!" they shouted. Old lady Chia drained a cup. Yüan Yang then went on to remark, "I've got another set; the one on the left is a double five."

  "Bud after bud of the plum bloom dances in the wind,"

  Mrs. Hsüeh replied.

  "The one on the right is a ten spot," Yüan Yang pursued.

  "In the tenth moon the plum bloom on the hills emits its fragrant smell,"

  Mrs. Hsüeh added.

  "The middle piece is the two and five, making the 'unlike seven;'" Yüan Yang observed.

  "The 'spinning damsel' star meets the 'cow-herd' on the eve of the seventh day of the seventh moon,"

  Miss Hsüeh said.

  "Together they form: 'Erh Lang strolls on the five mounds;'" Yüan Yang continued.

  "Mortals cannot be happy as immortals,"

  Mrs. Hsüeh rejoined.

  Her answers over, the whole company extolled them and had a drink. "I've got another set!" Yüan Yang once more exclaimed. "On the left, are distinctly the distant dots of the double ace."

  "Both sun and moon are so suspended as to shine on heaven and earth,"

  Hsiang-yün ventured.

  "On the right, are a couple of spots, far apart, which clearly form a one and one." Yüan Yang pursued.

  "What time a lonesome flower falls to the ground, no sound is audible,"

  Hsiang-yün rejoined.

  "In the middle, there is the one and four," Yüan Yang added.

  "The red apricot tree is planted by the sun, and leans against the clouds;"

  Hsiang-yün answered.

  "Together they form the 'cherry fruit ripens for the ninth time,'" Yüan Yang said.

  "In the imperial garden it is pecked by birds."

  Hsiang-yün replied.

  When she had done with her part, she drank a cup of wine. "I've got another set," Yüan Yang began, "the one on the left is a double three."

  "The swallows, pair by pair, chatter on the beams;"

  Pao-ch'ai remarked.

  "The right piece is a six," Yüan Yang added.

  "The marsh flower is stretched by the breeze e'en to the length of a green sash,"

  Pao-ch'ai returned.

  "The centre piece is a three and six, making a nine spot," Yüan Yang pursued.

  "The three hills tower half beyond the azure skies;"

  Pao-ch'ai rejoined.

  "Lumped together they form: a 'chain-bound solitary boat,'" Yüan Yang resumed.

  "Where there are wind and waves, there I feel sad;"

  Pao-ch'ai answered.

  When she had finished her turn and drained her cup, Yüan Yang went on again. "On the left," she said, "there's a 'heaven.'"

  "A morning fine and beauteous scenery, but, alas, what a day for me!"

  Tai-yü replied.

  When this line fell on Pao-chai's ear, she turned her head round and cast a glance at her, but Tai-yü was so nervous lest she should have to pay a forfeit that she did not so much as notice her.

  "In the middle there's the 'colour of the embroidered screen, (ten spots, four and six), is beautiful,'" Yüan Yang proceeded.

  "Not e'en Hung Niang to the gauze window comes, any message to bring."

  Tai-yü responded.

  "There now remains a two and six, eight in all," Yüan Yang resumed.

  "Twice see the jady throne when led in to perform the court ritual,"

  Tai-yü replied.

  "Together they form 'a basket suitable for putting plucked flowers in,'" Yüan Yang continued.

  "The fairy wand smells nice as on it hangs a peony."

  Tai-yü retorted.

  At the close of her replies, she took a sip of wine. Yüan Yang then resumed. "On the left," she said, "there's a four and five, making a 'different-combined nine.'"

  "The peach blossoms bear heavy drops of rain;"

  Ying Ch'un remarked.

  The company laughed. "She must be fined!" they exclaimed. "She has made a mistake in
the rhyme. Besides, it isn't right!"

  Ying Ch'un smiled and drank a sip. The fact is that both lady Feng and Yüan Yang were so eager to hear the funny things that would be uttered by old goody Liu, that they with one voice purposely ruled that every one answered wrong and fined them. When it came to Madame Wang's turn, Yüan Yang recited something for her. Next followed old goody Liu.

  "When we country-people have got nothing to do," old goody Liu said, "a few of us too often come together and play this sort of game; but the answers we give are not so high-flown; yet, as I can't get out of it, I'll likewise make a try!"

  "It's easy enough to say what there is," one and all laughed, "so just you go on and don't mind!"

  "On the left," Yüan Yang smiled, "there's a double four, i.e. 'man.'"

  Goody Liu listened intently. After considerable reflection,

  "It's a peasant!"

  she cried.

  One and all in the room blurted out laughing.

  "Well-said!" dowager lady Chia observed with a laugh, "that's the way."

  "All we country-people know," old goody Liu proceeded, also laughing, "is just what comes within our own rough-and-ready wits, so young ladies and ladies pray don't poke fun at me!"

  "In the centre there's the three and four, green matched with red," Yüan Yang pursued.

  "The large fire burnt the hairy caterpillar;"

  old goody Liu ventured.

  "This will do very well!", the party laughed, "go on with what is in your line."

  "On the right," Yüan Yang smilingly continued, "there's a one and four, and is really pretty."

  "A turnip and a head of garlic."

  old goody Liu answered.

  This reply evoked further laughter from the whole company.

  "Altogether, it's a twig of flowers," Yüan Yang added laughing.

  "The flower dropped, and a huge melon formed."

  old goody Liu observed, while gesticulating with both her hands by way of illustration.